I am taken by surprise this morning. Bemused. Befuddled. Mystified.
Where I sit in my office I look out on the front yard and across the street where 50s style bungalows are lined up in a straight line thanks to urban developers of bygone years who designed for the ease of people not the movement of cars. This is an older residential area, older for Calgary that is where 100 years is viewed as ancient history. With the city’s urban sprawl it is considered inner city, though compared to the inner, inner city neighbourhood I used to live in, I think of it as outer inner city.
A visitor’s tracks
What befuddled me this morning and captured my attention was the four-legged critter that loped across the lawn, west to east. Oh no, my mind thought when first I spied it moving into my view. Someone’s dog is on the loose.
And I watched for a moment thinking I might have to gear up for the cold and venture forth to see if I could corral the dog and find its owner.
As I started to get up from my desk, however, I realized my mistake. It wasn’t a dog. It was a coyote on the prowl.
I sat back down with a thud.
A coyote on my front lawn? Whatever is it thinking? This is the city. Cities and wild beasts do not mix.
It obviously hadn’t gotten that memo. It didn’t seem to care about urban proprieties and, given that awhile later I watched three white bunnies leapfrog along the snow-covered street, I can understand why. No sense worrying about human sensitivities when breakfast cavorts with abandon throughout the neighbourhood!
Unconcerned by my watching eyes, it loped across the lawn and as quickly and silently as it appeared, it disappeared around the hedge between the neighbour’s house and ours. And it was gone.
Miracles are like that.
They appear and unless our eyes and hearts are open, we can easily miss them, or mistake them for a stray dog investigating the neighbourhood as we carry on with our day, intent on getting done what we intended.
In our not seeing eyes, we miss out on the wonder and awe of the moment unfolding. We miss out on the delicate balance of nature and humanity meeting on the playing field of life, in the most unexpected places.
And the moral of the story? Keep your eyes open for miracles, magic and wonder. They’re everywhere waiting for us to rejoice in their presence
And… in case any of my neighbours saw me out there in the wee hours of the morning and was wondering what I was doing dressed in my big woolly winter coat flapping around my pink pjs with the starfish design, trundling through the snow taking photos in the dark — no, I wasn’t a peeping Tom or a flasher or a cat burglar. I was just a curious voyeur out to capture a sign of the magic that passed by my window this morning.
What kind of magic is all around you? Are you open to seeing the miracles in everyday?
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Over on my A Poetry Affair page I share a poem I wrote inspired by the snow that fell last night. The photo is not actually taken this morning — it is dark out still — it was taken at the edge of dawn following another snowfall that left the world looking just like it does this morning! Beautiful and mystical and silently serene. A morning to embrace, enjoy and awaken to with awe.
Nameste.
Dare Boldly 
There is a coyote that occasionally makes his presence know here around Fort Calgary. He is a sad state of coyote, as due to what was likely a series of fights, or perhaps some sort of odd coyote disease, his tail is but a thin rat-tail like wisp. I feel bad for him – imagining that the other coyotes would make fun of his wispy tail. He is so interesting to watch, though. Near the end of last year a colleague and I watched him on a gofer hunt – stalk and then just quite literally 5 feet straight up and a little bit over to pounce – it was a sight to behold! Yay nature!
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The life force is so incredibly strong, isn’t it Katie? He may be sad, but his will to live keeps him hunting and doing what comes naturally to him.
This coyote looked rather healthy! His tail was bushy and he seemed quite fit. but then, there are a lot of bunnies running around this neighbourhood! see at least 5 or more a day! Yay nature! 🙂
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Yes, miracles are like that! So often the noise and clamour of the day dull my eyes and heart, and then suddenly, just like this, a bit of magic will happen to remind me of what is real and good, and though seemingly out of place, is right where it is intended to be! I love coyotes, I see them often here in West Texas and I always admire their survival instincts and skills. Though not loved by ranchers in these parts, the way I see it, they were here first and we are the encroachers on their land. I smile when I see one that is healthy and solid, it means it is doing well and finding enough to eat. Bless the beasts and the children. A lovely story, Louise, and we would so have loved a photo of you in your pajamas and coat. I’m sure your neighbors are used to such unusual occurances by now! 🙂
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haha Josie — not going to happen… 🙂 the photo of me that is! They’re not loved by ranchers in these parts either — and here in the city, they are not particularly welcome either! Though I did think it was wonderful to see him (wonder why I assume he’s a he?.. Hmmm… have to meditate on that!
Blessings my firend. I like what you wrote — “a bit of magic will happen to remind me of what is real and good, and though seemingly out of place, is right where it is intended to be!”
Lovely.
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You know how much this delights me! What a treat. And I had missed that you have a new poetry site.
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I’m trying to stretch my creative muscle Susan — so…. the poetry site…
and I thought of you and wished I’d had your sight to see through a camera lens!
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Louise, will you post a link daily to FB that features your poem? That way I’ll be sure not to miss it (I can’t add any more blogs to my reader; it seems I’ve reached some imposed limit).
We often have deer, many rabbits, chipmunks, and occasionally foxes happening by. The scents make the dogs go wild in search.
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Lol — re the dogs going wild in search Maureen — I couldn’t figure out why, the night before, Ellie had suddenly started barking as she looked out my office window. I’m wondering if she saw something I didn’t…. 🙂
and I will post the link. Thank you so much.
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Louise, I love coyote sightings. The are mischievous and fun. Coyote medicine is good medicine for the soul! I love that you think of it as a miracle! ❤
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That must be why my soul felt so full after I saw it — it was awesome! Thanks Jodi.
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I love that you are safe, but I also love that you witnessed such a miracle of nature. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks Misifusa — it felt so filled with the presents of the presence of nature’s beauty!
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Nice! A poetry exchange. Lovely.
PS — and I did get your text. I’ll text a time or two today….)
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LG,
Yes, the term Urban Coyote does not mean agressive women on the prowl, but actual coyotes intruding on our sensibilities. I walk each morning along the edge of Queen Elizabeth Park Cemetary in the ‘inner’ North West of Calgary where I often see a pair, or two pair and sometimes three pair of eyes watching my every move and smelling Gusta no doubt. Ah .. but for a chain link fence, we are almost nose to nose with nature. I haven’t noticed many bunnies in the area lately – so the coyotes seem to be eating well.
On the subject of poetry – I’ll share one with you. A poet friend in Washington State sent me a poem the other day – requesting a trade. She sent me one and I was to send her one in return. I liked that idea – I’ll show you mine if you show my yours sort of thing … so, here is my offering:
BETTER THE TRUTH
To reply
to that request
not in jest
send it west
I will you see
because
I promised I would and
what would I be
if I didn’t keep it
you see:
there is honour in that
in keeping one’s word
not so much about intelligence
or enlightenment but
the simple act of doing
what we say or in seeing
someone else
keep their word
or their commitment to me
or to someone else
is worth all the money
in all the banks
thanks
because
it means
that much
to me
when you do
what you say and
speak only truth to me
you know
like you’ve done
sometimes
which goes far
beyond
those
times
of not.
Cheers … and enjoy the snow! .. winter is back,
Mark
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